Edward Foulkes admits it was an accident that he ended up at the World Championship

Another on the long list of debutants at the Ally Pally this year, Foulkes overcame Mike De Decker 3-0 in his opening game and admits he feels as if it was an accident that he ended up at the World Championships due to not playing on the PDC Asia Tour.

Whilst reflecting on his opening victory, where it looked as if he had stepped onto the biggest stage in darts multiple times, Foulkes couldn’t hide the joy.

He said: “I am very glad and very happy. I felt nothing, no nerves. I was just thinking that it’s important I play my best and if I play my best, maybe I can win.”

As quite an unknown player at this year’s Worlds, the press delve into his background and asked him to explain where he came from and how he got into the game.

“I am not one of the better players in Japan. I work in a bar, a darts bar. I play soft tip professionally. I have previously watched the World Championships but I have never dreamt about it, I don’t know.

“I wasn’t involved in any Asia Tours and in fact, I quit darts for four years and I started back up just last year. I was working hard and trying to join the soft tip tour but because of the virus, there was no tour. I thought I would try the Japanese tour and I won and now I am here.

“It’s a big accident that I’m here, it’s a dream come true for me to be here and play Brendan Dolan next. I’ve watched a lot of him before so it’s quite crazy for me.”

Seemingly at the Worlds by mistake, the Japanese was the star of the show on the Thursday afternoon session and a lot suddenly backing him to cause upsets if he replicates his before against De Decker.

“It’s actually my first time in the UK. I don’t know what could happen for me here over the next few weeks. I want to progress again and try on the PDC Asian Tour. I think steel tip darts can become bigger than soft tip darts and it can be the biggest event in Asia for darts.

“When I was at the qualifier, playing with the likes of Seigo Asada, Yuki Yamada and Lourence Ilagan, they are the big names, not just in darts, in Japan. I never played Yuki Yamada but I did come up against Asada and that for me, was like a dream.”